Business Archives - Page 27 of 40

The Latest: New Mexico adopts CDC guidance on facemasks

29May

By Desk TeamNo Comments

The Latest: New Mexico adopts CDC guidance on facemasks

SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico has adopted guidance on facemasks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that says fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks indoors or outside in most cases. Under revisions Friday to the state’s emergency public health order, masks are no longer required of fully vaccinated people in many public settings, though businesses and workplaces may still make face coverings a requirement for all. Public schools are still bound by universal mask requirements with allowances for meals, as the state gradually relaxes aggressive restrictions on public gatherings and some business operations. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said that getting vaccinated is crucial to a safe future, with the statewide vaccination rate recently surpassin

29May

By Desk TeamNo Comments

BEC invests in news, content for growth

BEC invests in news, content for growth Surin Krittayaphongphun, president for TV business at BEC World, the operator of Channel 3. SET-listed BEC World, the operator of Channel 3, is hoping for a business turnaround this year, supported by rejigged news programmes as it offers content for over-the-top (OTT) platforms and other countries via licensing, production of original series and increasing the subscription base of its CH3 Plus app. "Despite the pandemic, we have been profitable for three consecutive quarters since the third quarter of last year. We believe profitability is possible for the entire year as well," said Surin Krittayaphongphun, president of the TV business at BEC World. The company downsized and restructured to cut costs, while adding new sources of revenue through ...

The Latest: Connecticut data show COVID-19 vaccine effective

28May

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The Latest: Connecticut data show COVID-19 vaccine effective

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Of the more than 1.4 million Connecticut residents who are now fully vaccinated, 242 later became infected with COVID-19, according to data released Friday from the state Department of Public Health. Among the 242 so-called “vaccine breakthrough cases,” 109 people had no symptoms of the disease. DPH reported three deaths among vaccinated individuals who were confirmed to have had underlying medical conditions. They were between the ages of 55-64, 65-74, and 75 years and older. Nationally, there have been 132 vaccine breakthrough deaths, DPH said. “The main takeaway is that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and cases of infection after a person is fully vaccinated are very rare,” Dr. Deidre Gifford, the state’s acting public health commissioner, said in a statemen

Samsung thrives as Seoul mulls pardon of corporate heir

28May

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Samsung thrives as Seoul mulls pardon of corporate heir

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Pressure is mounting on South Korean President Moon Jae-in to pardon Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, who is back in prison after his conviction in a massive corruption scandal, even though business has rarely looked better at South Korea’s largest company. Lee is just the latest South Korean corporate boss to run his business from behind bars, communicating decisions through visiting company executives. But his imprisonment is causing national handwringing over the future of the technology giant in the country sometimes called the “Samsung Republic.” Many people — from business leaders and editorial writers to even Buddhist monks — have urged Moon to release Lee for the sake of an economy heavily dependent on Samsung’s technology exports. They worry Lee’s imprisonmen

28May

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Two foreign climbers die on Everest

Two foreign climbers die on Everest Mountaineers trek near the Mount Everest base camp. KATHMANDU: Two climbers, from the United States and Switzerland, have died on Mount Everest, the first fatalities of this year's season, expedition organisers in Nepal said on Thursday. On average around five climbers die every year on the world's highest peak. But in recent seasons, Everest has seen a surge in the number of climbers, leading to overcrowding that has been blamed for multiple deaths. "Two climbers passed away on Wednesday," Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP. Swiss climber Abdul Waraich, 40, died near the summit after reaching the top and suffering exhaustion, said Chhang Dawa Sherpa from the same organisation. "We sent two additional Sherpas with oxygen and foods, unfor...

Australia, NZ clash over manuka honey label

28May

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Australia, NZ clash over manuka honey label

Australia, NZ clash over manuka honey label Australian production of manuka honey could soon be dealt a heavy blow, with a group of New Zealand producers launching proceedings in multiple countries to register the term and claim its exclusive use SOMERSBY, Australia: Beekeepers in New Zealand are seeking the exclusive right to use the "manuka" label for their honey, pitting them against rival Australian farmers over a prestige product that can fetch hundreds of dollars per jar. Manuka honey takes its name from the Maori term for Leptospermum scoparium, the flowering shrub whose nectar forms its essence, which is found in both Australia and New Zealand. But Australian production could soon be dealt a heavy blow, with a group of New Zealand producers launching proceedings in multiple cou...

Thailand assures foreign residents they can be vaccinated

27May

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Thailand assures foreign residents they can be vaccinated

BANGKOK - Thailand sought Thursday to assure its foreign residents that they can get COVID-19 vaccinations, countering comments by some officials suggesting they would be at the end of the line for inoculations. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, made the pledge as Thailand fought to control an outbreak in the heart of its capital that has sickened thousands of people in the past month, Thais and foreigners alike. He said at least 70% of Thailand’s population has to be inoculated to create “herd immunity” and that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha “mentioned clearly that everyone on Thai soil, both Thais and foreigners, can access the vaccines.” “Foreigners and diplomats will have the same criteria as Thais,“ Opas said, adding that the countr

Chinese military’s now beyond South China sea

27May

By Yusara AskariNo Comments

Chinese military’s now beyond South China sea

Hong Kong: China is now proceeding to Djibouti to establish the first overseas military base. The journey was first started in 2008 when Chinese military dispatched a naval task force to the Gulf of Aden.Indeed, the PLA, at the behest of the Chinese government, is seeking to establish a global presence. By 2035, Chairman Xi Jinping wants the PLA to have basically completed its modernization. Certainly, one quality of a modern military, with the PLA being the world's largest, is the ability to efficiently deploy worldwide.As part of that process, China will move from a mere regional power to one with a global military reach. Whereas China's hitherto aim has been to deter adversaries or to fight a high-intensity but short-duration battle on its periphery, now it is seeking the ability to co...

China’s Suriname’s forests deprived of trees

26May

By Nectar GanNo Comments

China’s Suriname’s forests deprived of trees

Paramaribo, Suriname: Uncontrolled timber consumption has turned the Suriname's forests into deprive of tree shades.Chinese companies own more than half of the logging concessions in the country. Much of the illegal timber is sold online through companies which are hard to track.Carl Holm in a ground report uncovered the illegal timber business of China for DW News Agency."Not so long ago these logs were giants from rainforest, 100 years old, most of them now destined to China. But, the former Dutch colony of Suriname, is not seeing any economic benefit as more than half of the logging is illegal. Suriname is estimated to lose Euro 100 million a year due to illegal logging. The money goes straight to the coffers of criminal cartels," said Holm.Erlan Sleur, Environmental NGO ProBios showed...

Singapore broker up 544% in a year eyes China for more gains

26May

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Singapore broker up 544% in a year eyes China for more gains

Singapore broker up 544% in a year eyes China for more gains Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm over Shanghai on May 14, 2021. (AFP photo) iFast Corp, an online brokerage that’s been Singapore’s best-performing stock over the past year, is betting on China and a retail-trading frenzy to help it grow assets by more than fivefold by 2028. Although the firm’s Chinese operations are loss-making, Chief Executive Officer Lim Chung Chun said the nation is poised to become the wealth-management platform’s fastest-growing market and is key to the group’s goal of reaching S$100 billion (2.4 trillion baht) of assets under administration by 2028. Investors have bought into that vision, with iFast shares soaring more than 500% in the past 12 months -- beating all members of the FTSE ST All-Shar